Beware The Predatory Publisher, But Do Publish

On September 25, 2013, in UWindsor, by gregorynpaziuk

‘Baby steps’ are what people always preach, but have you started thinking about publication? Whether you are interested in higher education or just looking to present your research, at some point you will need to think about the best way to share your work with the academic community or any other community your work might benefit. That means you’ll need to think about publication, and that means you’ll need to find ways and places to publish.

For undergraduate and graduate students alike, the very idea of publication often seems like an unachievable goal. The reality is that it is never too early to start submitting your work. If the only thing holding you back is the proverbial fear of rejection, you might want to read Brian Martin’s essay on Learning to Love Rejection.

So where does one start when looking to submit? It’s best to familiarize yourself with the places publishers go when they are looking for submissions. Aside from combing publishers’ websites, often it is easiest to start by checking for Call for Papers (CFPs) on a popular Listserv. The University of Pennsylvania’s Department of English operates a comprehensive website compiling CFPs ranging widely in subject matter and format. Check the site regularly for current CFPs relevant to your field.

If and when you do decide to explore publication, proceed with caution. Just as you would for any resource you include in your research, scrutinize potential publishers to make sure you won’t be taken advantage of. A while back we stumbled upon this list of “predatory publishers” put together by an independent scholar. While the list itself is up for debate, the discussion of how to spot publishers with questionable intentions can help you determine for your self if you’re being taken advantage of.   

 

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